Gas-tube coupling.



G. K. HOPE.

GAS TUBE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 913.

1,097,436. Patented May 19,1914.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 6%0796K.fl0ff ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA vLANomzAr-n COWASHlNGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE K. HOFI, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-TUBE COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE K. Herr, a a citizen of the United States,and. a resident of Homesburg, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadephiaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Gas-TubeCoupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to flexible gas tubes, such as are used forconducting gas from a gas bracket or service pipe to a gas lamp, gasstove or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved gas tubecoupler arranged for convenient attachment to the gas nipple and withoutdanger of becoming accidentally detached. In order to accomplish thedesired result use is made of a retaining coupling member adapted to besecured to the gas nipple and a connecting coupling member held on thebulb of the tube and detachably engaging the said retaining couplingmember.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coupler as applied; Fig. 2 is a faceview of the retaining member of the coupler; Fig. 3 is a like view ofthe connecting coupling member in open position; Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the same in closed position; and Fig. 5 is a side elevationof a modified form of the coupler.

The nipple A on the valve B of a gas supply pipe C or a gas lamp, gasstove or other similar device is adapted to be engaged by a rubber bulbD of the usual ovoidal shape and attached to the end of a flexible gastube or hose E. In order to securely lock the bulb D in position on thenipple A use is made of a coupler formed of two members F and G, ofwhich the member F is the retaining coupling member and is secured by aset screw H or other fastening device to the back end of the nipple A,while the member G is the connecting coupling member and is attached tothe back of the bulb D to prevent it from slipping off the bulb in anoutward direction.

The retaining coupling member F consists of a hub F and a disk Fprovided with bayonet slots F, the hub F carrying the set screw H forfastening the retaining Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 2, 1913.

Patented May 1 '9, 191 Serial No. 777,051.

coupling member in position on the nip ple A, as previously explained.The connecting coupling member G is formed of two gripping parts G, G ofsemi-ovoidal shape and adapted to engage the rear half portion of thebulb D. The parts G and G are pivotally connected with each other attheir forward ends by pivots G to allow of swinging the said parts G andG into open position, as shown in Fig. 3, whenever it is desired toplace the connecting coupling member G in position on the rear portionof the bulb D. The rear end of the part G is provided with struck-uplugs G adapted to pass through apertures G formed in the rear end of theother part G", so that after the connecting coupling member G is placedin position on the bulb D the parts G, G are closed to snugly fit ontothe rear half portion of the bulb D, and then the lugs G are passedthrough the apertures G and bent over, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4- so asto securely lock the parts G and G together while clampingly engagingthe rear half portion of the bulb D. The parts G and G of the connectingcoupling member G are provided with forwardly-extending arms G adaptedto en gage the bayonet slots F and the said arms G terminate in angularlugs G adapted to abut against the rear face of the disk F so as tosecurely hold the connecting coupling member G in position on theretaining member F.

It is understood that the arms G are en.- gaged with the open ends ofthe bayonet slots F after which a quarter turn is given to theconnecting coupling member G with a View to move the arms G to the innerends of the bayonet slots F. ll hen the parts are in this position thecoupling member G is securely attached to the coupling member F toprevent the bulb D from be coming accidentally detached from the nippleA. It is also understood that when the parts G, G are in closed positionon the rear half of the bulb D then the connecting coupling member Gcannot slide forwardly off the bulb D and consequently the bulb D isheld locked in place on the nipple A whenever the coupling member G isengaged with the retaining coupling member F.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5 the connecting coupling member I ismade of tubular shape having its rear end I contracted to fit the rearportion of the bulb D,

the rear end of the connecting coupling member I terminating in a band Islidingly engaging the flexible gas tube or hose E. The forward end ofthe connecting coupling member I is provided with arms 1 for engagementwith the bayonet slots F and the said arms terminate in angular lugs Iadapted to abut against the rear face of the disk E, the same aspreviously explained relative to the lugs G. In order to place theconnecting coupling member I in position it is necessary to slip thesaid coupling member I onto the flexible gas tube or hose E prior tofastening the bulb D in position on the said pipe or hose E, and afterthe bulb D is secured to the tube or hose E then the connecting couplingmember I is slipped forward until its contracted rear portion 1 pressesagainst the rear portion of the bulb D. The bulb can now be readilyslipped onto the nipple and the arms I can be engaged with the bayonetslots F after which a quarter turn is given to the connecting couplingmember I to move the arms I to the inner ends of the bayonet slots F Inorder to allow convenient turning of the coupling member I the latter ispreferably provided with roughened exterior bands 1 as plainly indicatedin Fig. 5.

The gas tube coupler shown and described is ver simple in constructionand can be readily applied to prevent the flexible gas tube or hose frombecoming accidentally dc tached from the nipple A.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A coupler for connecting the rubber bulb at the end of a flexible gastube with a gas nipple, comprising a retaining coupling member fastenedto the gas nipple and provided with bayonet slots, and a connectingcoupling member made in parts the sides of which are pivotally connectedwith each other at their forward ends, the said parts having rearrelatively movable gripping portions encircling the back end of the bulband provided with relatively engaging members to secure them in closedposition, and

arms extending from the said pivot-ed portions and adapted to engage thesaid bayonet slots, the said arms terminating in angular lugs adapted toabut against the back of the retaining member.

2. A coupler for connecting the rubber bulb at the end of a flexible gastube with a gas nipple, comprising a retaining coupling member fastenedto the gas nipple and provided with bayonet slots, and a connectingcoupling member made in parts pivotally connected with each other at oneend, the said parts having gripping portions at their opposite endencircling the back end of the bulb, one of the said gripping portionshaving an aperture and the other having a struck-up tongue adapted topass through the said aperture and bent over to lock the grippingportions when in closed position, and arms extending from the firstmentioned ends of the said connecting member parts and adapted to engagethe said bayonet slots, the said arms terminating in angular lugsadapted to abut against the back of the retaining soupling member.

3. A coupler for connecting the rubber bulb at the end of a flexible gastube with a gas nipple, comprising a retaining coupling member fastenedto the gas nipple, and a connecting coupling member made in partspivotally connected with each other at one end, said two couplingmembers having relatively engaging means for detachably connectin themtogether, and the said parts of the connecting coupling member havinggripping portions at their opposite end encircling the back end of thebulb, one of said gripping portions having an aperture and the otherhaving a struck up tongue adapted to pass through the said aperture andbent over to lock the gripping portions in closed position, all for thepurpose'described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE K. I-IOFF. lVitnesses S. JV. FoULKRon, W. L. KILPATRIOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner oi! Patents,

Washington, D. G.

